Day 5: The Most Interesting Man in the World

Today was one of our free days of the trip where we were on our own to explore London. The Tate Britain was having a Picasso exhibit so we went there first. Seeing the original Picassos was amazing. Personally, I preferred his sketches and costume designs to his more abstract works, but they were all beautiful and unique. After this we walked down the Thames to the Globe. Unfortunately we didn't have a lot of time an it was rather expensive to get in so we just looked at the outside. We took pictures in front of an iron gate decorated with masks and other theater themed items. That night was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the trip.  If you thought the Dos Equis man was the most interesting many in the world you would be mistaken...it's Cecil Woolf.  We all went to a delicious Greek restaurant where we stuffed our faces with delicious food and drank too much wine with Virginia's nephew and his wife.  Cecil Woolf was a bit quiet at first, but once he had some wine he began to tell all kinds of stories about Leonard and Virginia. The last time Cecil saw Leonard before he had his stroke was when Leonard was eighty-nine and was running to catch the bus. He also told us that Virginia was pleasant company and actually very funny. Jean was the author of one of the books we read, Virginia Woolf Life and London.  She told us that Leonard was like a father and a husband to Virginia in the way he took care of her when she was ill. The whole time we talked I was in awe of the fact that I was talking to one of Virginia's relatives. Everyone talked about this night for the rest of the trip and agreed that we would take up Jean's offer to stay at her house when we returned to London.